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"You exaggerate," she ad when she first saw hiainst a dozen opponents He held his oith a ferocity that frightened and aroused her She alht to follow a lead on A than nore the i sword and pistol, and flanked by severaland the attackers had been frightened away

Left weakened and bloody, Si, he said

Then he col apsed at her feet

Her original intent had been merely to clean hied fro creature

And she had kept hi in a wry sain, hundreds, if it led me back to your bed"

Maria shook her head "You are incorrigible, and overly randy"

"It is ihter in his voice, leading her toward the door with his hand at the s you into bed You need rest and sweet drea about me?" she queried as they stepped out to the hal way and took the stairs "I prefer not to drea"

"One day all will be Well," he promised in a low, assured tone "I pro up into powerful arood-night kiss pressed to her forehead As Si door made relaxation possible

But it was a different set of blue eyes that followed her into sleep

"Good evening, sir"

Christopher nodded at his butler Frohter spil ed out of the open double doors to fil the entryhere he stood

"Send Philip to loves

"Yes, sir"

Crossing to the stairs, he passed the boisterous group of his men and their companions They call ed out to hi over the asse his release--the luck of the devil, they said --but work awaited him There was much he needed to ascertain and accomplish if he wished to ensure his present state of freedo the stairs with shouted protests fol owing him to the second floor

He reached his rooan to undress He was shrugging free of his waistcoat when the young htly on the door and then entered at his behest

"What have you learned?" Christopher asked without preliminaries

"About as much as one could expect to learn in the space of a day" Philip tugged at his cravat and started pacing, his pale green coat and breeches a stark contrast to the stamped leather that lined the wal s

"How ?" Christopher ads to be exploited"

"My apologies" The youth adjusted his spectacles and coughed

"No need to apologize Si, and look me in the eye like an equal"

"But I afor a moment very much like the five-year-old child who had appeared on Christopher’s doorstep orphaned, beaten, and destitute

"No, you are not," Christopher agreed, , "but you must attempt to face e No one will give it to you sih In fact,as if it were his right"

"Yes, sir" Philip squared his shoulders and lifted his chin

Christopher smiled The boy would become a man yet One who could stand firmly on his oo feet and survive the worst life could throw at him

"Excel ent Now speak"

"Lady Winter is six and twenty, ted, with neither husband survivinghis head, Christopher said, "Can you begin with so I do not know and then continue in that vein?"

Philip flushed

"Do not become flustered Simply remember that time is valuable and you want others to consider yours to be of some worth You should always lead off with the kernel of information most likely to pique interest Then proceed fro a deep breath, Philip blurted, "She has a resident paramour"

"Well…" Christopher stil ed, awash in visions of a softer Lady Winter, a woman flushed and sated fro to his waistband that pulled hi the placket of his breeches, he cleared his throat and said, "That’s ather much aside from his Irish descent, but I can tel you he has been a meo"

Two years

"Also, I find so curious about her relations with her stepfather, Lord Welton"